A Community Engagement activity conducted by the Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Gulf Medical University at the Ministry of Community Development on Jan 3, 2023 involved a screening campaign for risk factors for the inmates. The target population included people of different age groups, particularly older adults; and there were children who were mentally challenged as well.
Students from the MBBS and Physiotherapy programs actively assisted the General Physician and Physiotherapist from Thumbay University Hospital and Thumbay Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Hospital, Ajman in the screening process, which included measurement of height and weight of the individuals. assessment of Body Mass Index (BMI), blood pressure, blood sugar, oral cavity examination, etc. In addition, individuals were screened for persisting or chronic health conditions, and if they had any family history of any medical conditions.
The students, as part of their commitment to Community Engagement, took part in educating and spreading awareness to the older individuals about different measures that can be taken to improve their lifestyle and health. The team from Dept. of Physiotherapy specifically educated them on prevention of musculoskeletal disorders.
“Communicating with the participants gave us a sense of how their life is and how we can help improve their quality of life while keeping their health in check. I personally feel experiences like this can help us grow and understand the public health issues more, and develop our communication and professional skills further”, reflected Shreya Nair, an enthusiastic III MBBS medical student.
Hanin Hussain, III MBBS student said, “The risk factor screening event at the Ministry of Community Development was a great learning experience for us as students. Based on the data we collected, we were able to advise healthier choices for them and things they can avoid. Overall, we got experience that will definitely help us become a good doctor in the near future”.